TEXT: ALBRIGHT SEES PROGRESS IN ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORT

(Independent judiciary, free press vital) (1475)
Washington -- The world is "making progress" on fighting corruption,
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said during opening remarks at
an international forum on fighting corruption.
Albright, in February 24 remarks to Vice President Gore's "Global
Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity Among Justice
and Security Officials," cited the recent entering into force of the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD)
Anti-Bribery Convention, the Inter-American Anti-Corruption Treaty,
the Council of Europe's anti-corruption convention now open for
signature, and other regional and country-specific anti-corruption
efforts.
Action must be taken against corruption "on both the demand and the
supply side," which "means not only making bribery illegal, but also
ensuring that border guards are made less susceptible to bribes by
paying them sufficiently," Albright said.
Accountability is important, the Secretary said. Border guards "must
know that violations will cost them their jobs, and serious or
repeated transgressions" will cost them their freedom, she explained.
"Clarity in teaching, and maintaining, the line between public duties
and private preferences," is essential, Albright said. "People
everywhere... must understand that corruption is not capitalism's
natural product, but its perversion," she added.
An independent judiciary, a free press and a streamlined and fairly
paid bureaucracy should be the goal, according to Albright.
"The failure or success of our efforts to combat corruption will
determine" if societies are "governed by individuals or laws," if
"firms and products and ideas rise and fall based on mendacity or
merit" and if "public confidence in democracy and economic freedom"
are starved or nourished, Albright said.
Albright cited The Inter-American Anti-Corruption Treaty and Africa's
upcoming anti-corruption pact as examples of movements toward
strengthening justice systems and building a "culture of lawfulness."
Following is the text of Albright's remarks as prepared for delivery:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
REMARKS BY
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
AT
A GLOBAL FORUM ON FIGHTING CORRUPTION
Washington, D.C.
February 24, 1999
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Good morning, everybody. Mr. Vice President and
distinguished counterparts, colleagues, friends from the NGO community
and guests, welcome to the Department of State.
It is fitting that for this Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and
Safeguarding Integrity Among Justice and Security Officials, a truly
global audience has assembled. The surpassing breadth of this
conference reflects a fundamental understanding that corruption is not
just a private breach of ethics, but a matter of profound political
and social consequence; not least for our efforts to strengthen
democratic governments.
It reflects, as well, the realization that working together,
governments and non-governmental institutions can help one another
make corruption everywhere the exception, not the rule; and by so
doing, contribute to the prosperity of our people and the justness of
our societies.
Now, some would say that our effort this week, to come together to
fight corruption, is doomed to fail; that wherever there is gold, you
will find greed; that corruption is endemic to human nature; and that
it's futile to try to do anything about it. To them, I would reply as
Katherine Hepburn did to Humphrey Bogart in the movie, The African
Queen: "Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put into this world to
rise above."
The truth is we are making progress. The OECD convention entered into
force this month, committing all signatories to adopt strong
anti-bribery laws. The Inter-American Anti-Corruption Treaty has been
signed by almost every country in this hemisphere and deserves prompt
approval by the United States Senate.
The Council of Europe's convention opened for signature last month.
Africa, among other regions, has begun discussing its own
anti-corruption pact. Individual countries, ministries and even
municipalities -- from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Hong Kong to
Palermo, Sicily -- are moving ahead to strengthen justice systems, and
build what several participants have aptly described as a "culture of
lawfulness."
The advances of recent years reflect several important principles. One
is that we must act against corruption on both the demand and the
supply side. That means not only making bribery illegal, but also
ensuring that border guards, for example, are made less susceptible to
bribes by paying them sufficiently. A second is accountability. The
border guards that we are now paying more must know that violations
will cost them their jobs, and serious or repeated transgressions,
their freedom.
A third is clarity in teaching, and maintaining, the line between
public duties and private preferences. People everywhere, whatever
their countries pass, must understand that corruption is not
capitalism's natural product, but its perversion. And undergirding
everything we do is the bedrock principle of establishing and
reinforcing the rule of law.
That's why this forum's emphasis on integrity in the judiciary and
security forces is so very, very well-placed. For however much we do
to prevent corruption with stronger laws on the supply side, and a
newfound accountability on the demand side, we won't have achieved
much if, toward the end of the pipeline, the corrupt official or
businessperson faces a compromised policeman or a crooked prosecutor
or a judge who can be bought off.
The culture of lawfulness may not be easy to achieve; but we have
recognized how to pursue it. We know that we must strive for an
independent judiciary, a free press and a bureaucracy that is both
streamlined and fairly paid. We know that corruption thrives in dark
corners, and that exposure to sunlight can scorch it clean. And we
know that religious and ethical leaders, as well as public officials
and captains of industry, all have pivotal roles to play.
No country has a monopoly on wisdom in achieving such a culture. In
the United States, it remains, after more than 200 years, a work in
progress. And in this decade alone, governments in Europe, South
America, Africa and South Asia have fallen, at least in part, because
the people would no longer tolerate public corruption.
That's why the principle of mutual evaluation has been so valuable in
our efforts to date. That's why this forum is -- speaking selfishly
for the host country -- such a tremendous opportunity for us to listen
and learn.
In the end, the failure or success of our efforts to combat corruption
will determine whether we live in societies governed by individuals or
laws; whether our firms and products and ideas rise and fall based on
mendacity or merit; and whether we starve or nourish public confidence
in democracy and economic freedom.
So it's a momentous mission on which we're embarked here this morning,
and no one understands this better than the leader it is my welcome
task to introduce to you now.
In America, in my experience, no one has done more to spread the
gospel of good governance than Vice President Al Gore. From the day
President Clinton asked him to improve and streamline our own
government, Americans have witnessed a government that works better,
costs less and delivers results. Of course, such far-reaching success
is nothing new to the Vice President. Maybe it's because he's so tall,
but throughout his career, Al Gore has been able to see further ahead
than most. He has made a habit of identifying vital issues as they
emerge, mastering their complexities and devising practical solutions
while others are still struggling to make out the nature of the
problem.
Whether the issue is the environment, or national security, or the
relationship between cutting edge technology and ancient principles of
fairness, Al Gore is a leader, and a thinker, and a teacher, and the
man to go to get things done.
If there's any one message that Al Gore conveys, whether before a
global audience or in a one-on-one session, it's that all of us -- as
individuals or as nations -- are part of something much larger than
ourselves. That understanding, I believe, must be central to any real
solution to the problem of corruption. For corruption is based on the
soul-killing illusion that happiness rests on the indulgence of the
self, rather than service to one's community, country and faith.
I am privileged to work with this man every day on the most critical
foreign policy and national security issues facing our nation. I can
tell you from being with him that he has a mind that can delve into
the most complex issues, a heart that is open to the respect of every
single individual, and a desire to solve problems. In all these areas,
his abilities are unparalleled; and I am very, very proud to call him
my friend. I am both pleased an honored to introduce him to you now:
the Vice President of the United States, Al Gore.
(end text)